Firing mechanism



Dec. 19, 1933. R. M. NARDONE FIRING MECHANISM Filed May 20, 1932 a INVENTOR.

Romeo M Nara'one B %/w; .Zm at ATTORQIEfi Patented Dec. 19, 1933 Romeo M. Nan-done, East Orange, N. .L, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 20, 1932. Serial No. 612,583

8 Claims. (on. 42-59) This invention relates to firing mechanism, and more particularly to firing mechanism of the type adapted to fire in sequence a plurality of cartridges of the slow burning variety.

8 1 An object of the invention is to provide novel firing mechanism of the foregoing character embodying features of construction which render the device readily applicable to the work of starting an internal combustion engine, either by direct action upon one or more of the pistons of such an engine, or through an intermediate starting motor of the expansible chamber type, such as that disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 578,162, filed November 30, 1931. The invention, however, is not to be regarded as limited to such a use alone, in view of its obviously wide range of usefulness as a power generating device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge firing device possessing important advantages, in respect to simplicity of structure, assembly, installation, operation and maintenance, not tobe found in the more complicated and elabcrate cartridge firing devices of the prior art.

The other objects and advantages or the invention are pointed out in, or will be obvious from, a thorough consideration of the following description referring in detail to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. y

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a reduced scale, transverse sectional view taken substantially along the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a reduced scale view in elevation taken at right angles to the viewpoint of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of a detail. Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown embodied in a unitary structure of which the major parts include a supporting frame having a centrally disposed extension or spindle 11, a cartridge holding magazine or barrel 12, a

cover plate 13, a firing pin 14, and a slide bolt 16;

the firing pin and slide bolt both being received in the cover plate 13,. in the prefered construction as shown.

when the invention is applied to the engine starting use above referred to it is preferably attached to a mounting flange 17, suitably located with respect to the motor to be actuated; a portion of the housing of which is indicated at 18, said housing having a fitting 19 attached thereto and adapted to receive the threaded end of a conduit 23 connecting through an intermediate fitno ting 22 with a second portion 21 of the conduit; the latter portion being adjustably received in a boss 24 formed on the supporting frame 10 and suitably bored and threaded for thepurpose as indicated at 26. In the fitting 22 there is prefer- 5 ably provided a cup-shaped baiile or grid 27, the function of which is to prevent the passage of any unburned particles entrained with the gases generated upon firing of the cartridge in the manner to be described, while permittingiree pas- 7o sage of the non-solid portion of the charge.

The cartridge containing barrel 12 is provided with any suitable number of chambers 28, all preferably disposed at equal radial distances from the axis of the spindle 11 on which the barrel has a comparatively snug fit and to which it is securely held by suitable means which preferably takes the form of one or more spring pressed plungers 29 mounted in a cap 31 threadedly secured to the annular rim 32 on the supso porting frame 10; the plunger 29 is received within the circumferential groove 34 provided near the end of the outer surface of the barrel 12. Preferably the radial distance between the axis of the spindle 11 and the axes of the successive chambers 28 is such as to cause said chambers to be aligned successively with the axis of the conduit 21; the bore in which the firing pin assembly is slidably received is also preferably ofiset at the same distance from the axis of the spindle 11. The construction and control of the firing pin 14 may take any suitable form, but as shown includes a cylindrical head or piston portion 36 slidably fitting within the bore 37 and disposed intermediate the stem 38 and the cartridge 96 striker point 33; the latter being adapted to be projected through a smaller counterbore 41 in which the bore 37 terminates, such projection occurring upon expansion of the spring 42 which surrounds the stem 38, and is compressible upon retraction of the stem 38 preparatory to firing one of the cartridges; the initial stress in the spring being maintained by the provision of a suitable closure nut 40.

The invention embraces in conjunction with the features of construction above described in detail, a novel method of controlling the loading and unloading of the cartridge magazine together with novel means for maintaining the parts in assembled relation and insuring proper indexing and adjustment thereof. These results are effected without resorting to the usual com plications and multiplication of parts; and the means employed includes in addition to the parts above enumerated, a locking pin 43 disposed in a transverse bore 40 in the slide bolt 16 intermediate its ends, and adapted to register with a transversely disposed slot 44, formed in the cylindrical extension of the spindle 11, from which slot the pin 43 is releasable only by turning the bolt 16, by means of the handle 46,'through an angle, as shown, of ninety degrees, the slot continuing in a longitudinal direction, as indicated at 4'7 to the end of the extension 11. The extension 11 is also provided with a tongue 35 coacting with a recess 45 in the central bore of plate 13 to position the firing pin in respect to the conduit 21. Withdrawal of bolt 16 will cause pin 43 to contact cover plate 13, which will then be withdrawn to the extent permitted by the limiting device. Such limiting device preferably takes the form of an elongated pin 48 slidably received in the smaller bored portion 49 of the spindle 11, and'threadedly engaging the end of the slide bolt 16; the pin 48 having a head 51 serving, upon engagement with the shoulder 50 formed in the supporting frame, to prevent further outward movement of the slide bolt.

In order to facilitate ejection .of the cartridge shells after use, a sleeve 52, having slotted portions 57 on its cylindrical surface, surrounds one end of the barrel 12 and has an inwardly turned annular section 53 adapted to ride and hence be clamped between the cover plate 13 and the end surface of the barrel, formed and recessed as at. 54, to register with a complementary recess formed in a projection or boss 55 of the barrel 12. These recesses 54 extend part way around the usual flanged ends of the cartridge shells, so

that upon withdrawal of the slide bolt 16 and cover plate 13, a longitudinal thrust thus exerted upon the radially disposed extension 56 of the sleeve 52 is sufficient to eject all the shells, and thus clear the chambers for reception of fresh cartridges. The sleeve 52 also preferably serves as the means for rotating the barrel to bring the cartridges successively into registry with conduit 21 and into position to be fired in sequence by the firing pin 14. To this end there are received in the aforesaid slots 5'1 screws 58 engaging the barrel 12, and acting to transmit rotary movement of the sleeve to the barrel. The circumferential groove 34 is preferably indented at proper intervals, as shown at 33; and these successive indentations 33, when engaged by the plunger 29, serve to insure proper indexing of the barrel upon each partial rotary movement effected through the handle 56.

There is thus disclosed a structure which embodies the features of advantage above recited, and attains the objects above specified, as well as possessing considerable practical merit in other obvious respects which persons skilled in the art will recognize as inherent in the mechanism disclosed.

It is to be understood however, that the invention is not to be construed as limited to the precise structure and relationship of parts shown in any respect wherein the appended claims are not specific thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supporting frame having a centrally disposed spindle integral with said frame, a multichambered barrel centrally bored for registry with, and support on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured to said frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a cover plate normally preventing access to said chamber, means extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said cover plate, and means extending through the other end of said spindle for engagement with said frame to limit the extent of such withdrawal.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supporting frame having a centrally disposed spindle, a multi-chambered barrel centrally bored for registry with andsupport on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured against any axial movement with respect to said frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a plate normallyv preventing access to said chambers, means extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said plate, and means extending through the other end of said spindle for limiting the extent of such withdrawal.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a frame having a centrally disposed spindle, a multi-chambered barrel centrally bored for registry with and support on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured to said frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a plate normally preventing access to said chambers, means extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said cover plate, means extending through the other end of said spindle for limiting the extent of such withdrawal, cartridge ejecting means interposed between said plate and said barrel, and means for locking said barrel against any axial movement with respect to said frame, even during operation of said cartridge ejecting means.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supporting frame having a centrally disposed spindle, a multi-chambered barrel centrally bored for registry with and support on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured tosaid frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a breech plate normally preventing access to said chambers, a manually operable bolt extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said breech plate, means for holding said barrel immovable during withdrawal of said breech plate,

and additional means for ejecting the contentsof the barrel only after withdrawal of said breech plate.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supporting frame having a centrally disposed spindle, a multi-chambered barrel centrally bored for registry with and support on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured to said frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a breech plate normally preventing access to said chambers, a

manually operable bolt extending from one end of position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, 8. plate normally preventing access to said chambers, a manually operable bolt extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said plate, a pin operable through the other end of said spindle for limiting the extent of such withdrawal, and cartridge ejecting means interposed between said plate and said barrel, and an integral extension on said cartridge ejecting means for turning said barrel about said spindle.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supporting frame having an annular rim and a centrally disposed spindle, amulti-chambered barrel centrally bored for registry with and support on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured to said frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a plate normally preventing access to said chambers, means extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said plate, and means mounted on said annular rim to lock said barrel against any axial movement with respect to said frame even during the cartridge ejecting action. K

8. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supporting frame having an annular rim and a centrally disposed spindle, a multi-chambered barrel centrally bored for registry with and support on said spindle, a gas discharge conduit secured to said frame in a position producing alignment with the successive chambers of said barrel, a plate normally preventing access tosaid chambers,-a rotatable and slidable bolt extending from one end of said spindle for effecting withdrawal of said plate, and means mounted on said annular rim to lock said barrel to said frame.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

